The Portland daily press., 1887-12-29
WHERE coNvIcTs LIVE.
How the state Takes Care Of Its
Erring Citizens.
The Annual Report OF the Board Of
Prison inspectors.
Condition Of Affairs at Thomaston
and In the JaIis.


Especial to the Press.l
AUGUSTA, Dec 28.-Prison Inspectors j.
w. Porter, ID. G. Beane and III. S. 0sgood
submitted their annual report for the year
ending Nov. 30, 1887, to the Governor and
Council today, of which the following is an
abstract:
Under the authority of an act of the last
legislature, the Camden and Rockland
Water Company have introduced their sup
ply into the prison and its grounds. Water
in some way had become an absolute neces-
sity. The supply heretofore has been lin
tied to the capacity of the cisterns, which,
in times of drouth, contained little more
than the amount required for the daily uses
of the prison. The supply now is abundant
and of superior quality, and when pipes and
hose are properly adjusted, the protection
against fire will be complete and there will
be no excuse if cleanliness is not marked
feature of the premises. As is the case in
other places where water is introduced good
sewerage must follow here, and the cess
pool. into which the sewers new empty,
must be drained at an early day or serious
results are likely to follow.
In regard to the act passed by the last
legislature in regard to the division Of labor
the inspectors speak at considerable length.
Without any power to run machinery or any
authority to provide it, they have been cir
cumscribed in their choice of industries.
The result of consultation has been to pre-
pare a shop, purchase stock and enter upon
the manufacture of corn brooms and furni-
ture. Although the statute did not order
any change until January l, 1888, it was nee
essary to make preparation therefor Shops.
machines and tools have been provided, so
as to make the required change at the time
specified, all of which has taken much time
and money, which materially reduced the
earnings of the prisoners for 1.-THE year just
passed.
The health of the conyicts has been good,
the number of deaths small, and the amount
of punishment much less than in any year
during the past eight years, all of which
are attributed to the faithful manner in
which the officers of the several departments
have performed their duties.
The number of convicts at the close of
this year is less than for twelve years, and
the number of prisoners in the several coun-
w JdllS is thirty -tuTct ltsS tudn III looo.
To carry out the provisions of the act
abolishing the death penalty. which required
that those convicted of murder in the first
degree should not be Eemployed, or in any
way associated with those convicted of other
offences, an almost complete rebuilding of
the prison and shops has been required. The
inspectors cannot believe this was the inten-
tion of the trainers of the law, for it would
have cost the State thousands of dollars to
so arrange the prison as to comply with the
law, and great additional animal expense.
No appropriation was made by the legisla-
ture for this purpose.
Warden's Report.
Warden Bean makes his usual comprehen-
sive report. There were no appropriations,
he says, for repairs on buildings, and the
making of necessary changes incident upon
the introduction of new Industries or the
purchase of stock. The sum of 81, .6S has
been expended ON the former, and $3,51177
for broom stock, and all bills are paid. There
remain S407 of the library appropriation un-
expended, which, with $2,529 standing to the
credit of the convicts for money deposited,
make So, ,936.11 as our current liabilities. The
sum of S1,560.35, mentioned as contingent
surplus, is fund from which to make good
warranties.
In Statement "A" appears the accounts of
the several departments, of which the fol-
lowing are given: